Which 4.5 inch angle grinder to buy

[newbury]

I just noticed that the local Walmarts here dont carry any kind of grinder. I am pretty sure that they used to carry a Black and Decker brand. Dont know but maybe HF took all their business even though the closest one is 70 miles away.

There is no telling what they stock at the "local" Walmarts anymore. They are changing their model to a catalog center. I needed something from Walmart in Fulton. I went online and it got delivered to the Fulton Walmart the next day.

 

[Soundguy]

I just noticed that the local Walmarts here dont carry any kind of grinder. I am pretty sure that they used to carry a Black and Decker brand. Dont know but maybe HF took all their business even though the closest one is 70 miles away.

our local wm just completely changed tool brands. ahve their own hand tool brand now.. and got rid of CH products too..

 

[mikehaugen]

Hands down though the Black and Decker Wildcats have to be the longest lasting larger grinder ever made. Too bad they quit making them.

Black and Decker isn't 1/10 the tool maker they used to be. Same can be said for the majority of tool companies anymore. In fact when black and decker bought dewalt, they maintained that as their "better" line. Personally, I think dewalt is one of the better brands out there but still not on par with what anyone used to be. Black and Decker, Craftsman, and Milwaukee probably used the be the best power tools available, none of them I believe are in the top 3 anymore. But again, just my 2 cents.

 

[Shield Arc]

Hands down though the Black and Decker Wildcats have to be the longest lasting larger grinder ever made. Too bad they quit making them.

And very hard to find replacement parts for. I searched all over the Internet for a switch for my Wild Cat, couldn't find a thing. The local repair station converted a Milwaukee switch to work. I've had De Walt's version of the Wild Cat for a few years now, not to bad, but we'll see how long it lasts! I've had the original Wild Cat since the early 1980s, just had to have the switch replaced.

 

[finley31]

And very hard to find replacement parts for. I searched all over the Internet for a switch for my Wild Cat, couldn't find a thing. The local repair station converted a Milwaukee switch to work. I've had De Walt's version of the Wild Cat for a few years now, not to bad, but we'll see how long it lasts! I've had the original Wild Cat since the early 1980s, just had to have the switch replaced.

A guy at our shop has a frankenstein wildcat/dewalt grinder, the top half is an old wildcat and bottom half is a mix of parts from a dewalt. I still have two of them stashed away in my Jobox at work. I only bring them out when I know there is some serious work to be done. It's usually grinding some huge weld bevels on a field service job or doing some cleanup with a wire wheel.

 

[Markcuda]

This is my best grinder so far.
$100 bucks.
Milwaukee - 11 amp 4 1/2 inch Small Angle Grinder, Lock-on 6146-30

 

[Shield Arc]

I still have two of them stashed away in my Jobox at work. I only bring them out when I know there is some serious work to be done. It's usually grinding some huge weld bevels on a field service job or doing some cleanup with a wire wheel.

Oh, I know what you mean!:thumbsup:
In the 70s I worked in a fab shop that had nothing but 9-inch WildCats. All the 120-volt circuits were on 15-amp breakers. You could lean all your 200-pounds into a WildCat, never hurt the grinder, but trip the breaker at will!

I can put a 37 1/2 degree bevel on a piece of 4-inch sch 80 pipe in under 2-minutes with a WildCat!

 

[Cook123]

i am the product of an old time ford motor co employee. ive worked for ups, construction and have worked for a major utility for over 24 years. i know there is no 4 1/2inch grinder that will let me put all myh weight on! i guarantee that. i am a certified boiler welder that used to use milwaukee now we mainly use metabo. im not impressed with metabo these days other than there cutting disc. i dont like china or japan and have an older lincoln machine at the house. i do pay more money for my usa made red wing boots. it cost a little more for us products.

 

[MitchellB]

I think any of the name brand tools you listed will do great. Of the ones you mentioned, I prefer the DeWalt, but would not thing twice of owning any of the others. I have several DeWalt tools that have held up well. I bought a cheap Harbor Freight angle grinder to mount my wire wheel on years ago to clean welds and it has preformned just as good as my Craftsman 4 1/2" grinder. I later bought a Harbor Freight 7" grinder and constantly have problems with the trigger switch. The grinder itself is heavy and has plenty of power. If this was a tool I use daily, I would buy the name brand, but Harbor Freight or Northern offers some deals that are hard to match sometimes, even for professional use.

 

[Markcuda]

i know there is no 4 1/2inch grinder that will let me put all myh weight on! i guarantee that.

I can't stop mine using just my arm strength, the one I posted in post number 96.